The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Desmond Connell, criticised tax individualisation and the current housing situation in an interview with the Sunday Business Post yesterday.
He also expressed concern about the number of young people living together and not getting married.
Surveys had found that the chances of marriage breakdown were greater for those who had lived together beforehand, yet this was "gaining social respectability", while people had come to accept marriage after divorce as the same thing as marriage, he said.
"In fact it is not. You haven't got the commitment that gave marriage its status in the past, that permanent commitment which was the foundation of the social standing that marriage had in society," he said.
The passing of the divorce referendum was "a very important moment because it changed radically the understanding of marriage in the minds of ordinary people. Yet there was no real political voice arguing the case against divorce, though I think there was a very strong case against it," he said.
Generally he felt "a good deal of thought needs to be put into the whole question of the way in which marriage is treated in political terms".
He believes the individualisation of income tax is going to affect married life seriously. It appears to him "that the market is receiving more consideration that the family".
On the housing crisis he asked: "How can young people face the prospect of acquiring a house at the moment? Both of them have to work and, if both have to work, how much do they see of one another?
"And when children arrive, how much do the children see of them? What kind of family life is possible in these circumstances? I'm only instancing the price of housing, but it is a very important matter because it is directly affecting family life."
He would continue his efforts to ensure there was another abortion referendum. "I will do whatever seems prudent and possible to promote that view," he said. He had listened to what the liberals were saying and asked: "Why shouldn't they listen to what I'm saying?"
He was "very much" concerned about racism in Ireland. Mistakes made elsewhere had to be avoided. The laws had not been able to cope, he felt, but he did not think we should let anyone into the country just because they wanted to come. "You have to have concern for the common good and if you create very great difficulty within Irish society, it's not going to help people who come to Ireland."
